Thursday, August 9, 2012

Mickey Mouse

The Metfone C-League turned Mickey Mouse yesterday with the midweek match at Olympic Stadium. The National Police team had already qualified for the Super 4 play-offs and were playing their final match of the regular domestic season before the skip over to Vietnam to play in an Asian police tournament. Their opponents were already-relegated Chhlam Samuth. In another bizarre showing from the Police team, they fielded an under-strength team apart from their main striker, Nelson Oladiji, and effectively handed the Sea Sharks a chance of success, which they took, winning 7-6. Despite Oladiji netting four times, to take him to the top of the goalscorers chart with 18 goals, his team failed to overcome the league's perennial strugglers. In most leagues around the globe, there are rules against fielding second-string line-ups, so I would expect the Police team to be fined if it's proved they did exactly that. Unless of course, the federation don't have such a restriction.
With the league campaign winding-down and the Super 4 places and relegation issues all over bar the shouting, this weekend's fixtures should see Boeung Ket strengthen their claim on a top four finish with a win over relegated Western Uni in Saturday's opening game. Table-toppers Naga should do the same against Kirivong in the second match. Sunday's games will see Phnom Penh Crown attempt to cement fifth spot with victory over the Army, whilst BBU will need a victory against Preah Khan Reach to leapfrog over Crown and keep alive their faint hopes of a play-off placing.

8 comments:

Allan Michaud said...

I was told many years ago that the Kampot teams name at the time loosely translated as the "Kampot Golden Shower".
I have never been able to confirm this but the source was a normally reliable and trusted one.

Anonymous said...

Andy. If I'm not mistaken Phnom Penh Crown played their B-team in a President's Cup final qualifier at Olympic Stadium - and lost! - and consequently finished as group runners-up! Was PPC fined? No. Were the full house of Cambodian supporters and FFC let down? Yes! PPC were quite happy to play a weakened team (as they had already qualified), because the coach Bojan and management were more concerned about an upcoming CPL game against Kirivong! A game they subsequently drew. Why is the Police situation on Wednesday or Naga resting yellow-carded players for the last MCL game against PPC (to safeguard their squad for the super-4 playoffs) any different?

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon7:22PM,
you are mistaken, PPCFC didn't play a B-team at all. We rested five nailed-on regulars and still played a strong team against Neftchi. So the situation you mention is not as your memory recalls. In addition, it was the FFC's refusal to give the club more leeway with their fixture v Kirivong that forced the coach to rest a few of his regulars...not as I'm informed, Police rested all but 1 of their normal starting XI. That's the difference Anon.
There are rules in leagues around the globe to prevent teams putting out under-strength teams for blatantly obvious reasons. I certainly don't need to list them here. It should apply to the C-League as it applies elsewhere, whether its because Police have already made the top 4 or if a team is carrying a bunch of yellow cards.

Anonymous said...

Andy,

You seem to have reasons to explain why PPCFC "didn't" field second-strings. How do we know or not know if the Police team has their own reasons for not fielding their regulars? Maybe, you jumped the gun a bit there with your assumption?

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon9:48AM,
of course I have reasons why we didn't field a B team, mainly because we didn't field a B team!
I'm sure the Police have their reasons for playing a second XI, but that doesn't really matter does it. If you have rules against such occasions, then clubs must abide by them, depending on what the rules say. or suffer the consequences.

Anonymous said...

Andy. Will Phnom Penh field a B-team against Naga, presuming the result doesn't matter and that PPC are already out of the final 4 play-offs? And/or, will the coach rest key players for their upcoming President's Cup in Tajikistan? And/or, will the coach give PPCs young players a chance to impress in a dead-rubber against Naga, before next season's contracts are offered? What's good for the goose.....!

Anonymous said...

Andy, all teams in cambodia, always like that... no exeptional...

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon5:47PM,
I have no prior knowledge of the team that the PPCFC coach will select against Naga. That's his job not mine.
That said, I would be very surprised if he did anything other than play his strongest available team, especially with the AFC competition in mind. Our players need to be in good form, playing together and tactically on the ball if we are to succeed in Tajikistan. We will be without at least two foreign players due to suspensions against Naga, thanks to the FFC in the case of Frimpong, so we cannot play our full-strength team anyway.